During a recent field visit to the nearly dying Bakkhali River in Cox’s Bazar—choked by encroachment and pollution—two senior government advisors expressed deep concern over its current state. Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Brigadier General (Retd.) Sakhawat Hossain, Advisor to the Ministry of Shipping, Labour and Employment, vowed decisive action.
“Whatever it takes will be done to free the Bankkhali River from illegal encroachment,” said Sakhawat Hossain.
More than a thousand illegal structures have been built by occupying riverbanks and destroying mangrove forests around the Bankkhali River, which flows through the heart of Cox’s Bazar town.
Despite several eviction drives by the district administration, the number of encroachments has only increased, especially after August 5. Once a bustling trade hub, the historic Kasturaghat area has been transformed into a residential zone.
On Thursday at 10 AM, after inspecting various points along the river, including Kasturaghat, Hossain urged occupiers to vacate voluntarily.
“It would be better if those responsible left on their own—there would be no damage. We’ll clear everything that isn’t protected by court orders. There’s no room for debate here.”
He also highlighted the challenges in developing a river port in Cox’s Bazar due to the extent of encroachment. “We’ve instructed the local administration to begin demarcating the river boundaries. Only after that will eviction operations commence. A river port requires a river—we cannot proceed without one,” he noted.
According to Hossain, the groundwork for this process will begin within the next seven to eight days.
Environmental Advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan—who had visited the river previously as an activist—emphasized that freeing the Bankkhali River has long been a demand of the people of Cox’s Bazar.
Regarding the legal hurdles, she said, “We’ll address the court-issued stay orders legally. The law and order situation was volatile over the past four months, but things have now stabilized. We expect the administration to begin eviction drives soon. But I won’t disclose the exact timing, as that could tip off the encroachers.”
Rizwana Hasan also revealed that the government has decided to transfer 12,500 acres of forest land, previously handed over in the name of development, back to the Forest Department.
Commenting on construction activities near the Cox’s Bazar sea beach, she warned, “If this continues unchecked, the public beach could soon become private property. That must not be allowed.”
Speaking on the status of Sonadia Island, she said, “I’ve talked about it before, and now we are taking action. The previous government handed the island to BEZA, denying the environmental threat.
Now, BEZA no longer wants it. The Land Ministry will return it to the Forest Department within a few days.”
Hasan emphasized that restoring environmental integrity in Cox’s Bazar is a top priority, even with the government’s limited remaining tenure.
By Abdur Rashid Manik
Photo: Abdur Rashid Manik
